1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to a turbine engine and, more particularly, to a stator vane arrangement that directs a flow of gas in a turbine engine.
2. Background Information
A typical turbine engine includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. The engine may also include a stator vane arrangement. The stator vane arrangement may guide a flow of core gas into the turbine section. Alternatively, the stator vane arrangement may guide the flow of core gas between adjacent stages of the turbine section.
A typical stator vane arrangement includes a plurality of circumferential vane arrangement segments. Each vane arrangement segment includes one or more stator vane airfoils that extend radially between an inner platform segment and an outer platform segment. The vane airfoils as well as the inner and the outer platform segments are formed integral with one another; e.g., cast as a unitary body singlet or doublet.
Exterior surfaces of the vane airfoils and/or gas path surfaces of the inner and the outer platform segments may be coated with an oxidation or thermal barrier layer. A thermal barrier layer may partially insulate the vane arrangement segment material from relatively hot core gas that flows through the turbine section during engine operation. An oxidation coating may primarily increase oxidation and corrosion resistance of the parent alloy material. One or more of the vane airfoils and/or relatively large overhangs of one or more of the platforms segments may create blind spots during a typical line of sight coating process. These blind spots may increase the time and/or expense of coating the vane arrangement segment. The blind spots may also prevent an even coating from being applied to the vane arrangement segment, which may increase thermal fatigue of the vane arrangement segment material during engine operation.
There is a need in the art for an improved stator vane arrangement.